This invention relates to hoppers, and in particular, to a hopper for mechanical seed planters.
Mechanical seed planters are well known in the field of agricultural implements, and a variety of different designs have been developed in an attempt to achieve fast and accurate planting. One type of seed planter design, which is illustrated in the Schulz U.S. Pat. No. 3,162,153, comprises an apparatus which regularly drops the seeds from a metering device into an open furrow, and then covers the furrow. A different type of planter arrangement is a punch planter, and includes a mechanism which positively inserts the seed to the ground, such as by punches, as exemplified in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,661. Because the last mentioned type of planter design positively inserts the seeds into the ground, this type of mechanism has proven quite successful in increasing percentage germination and emergence of the plant and seed, thereby alleviating the need for excess seed planting, cutting, and the like, as well as reducing seed costs. However, heretofore, there has not been available a hopper which is capable of consistently metering seed to the planting wheel of a positive insertion, punch-type planter, so as to achieve accurate and reliable planting, without damaging the seed.